Vegas News May 1, 2022

NFL Draft And Hotels

This was such a fun week in Las Vegas. The big event was the NFL Draft on the Vegas Strip. Hundreds of thousands of people were in town to catch the NFL spectacle. We also had the excitement of the fact that the Palms Opens during this very engaging week.

The three-day event appears to have gone off without any major problems. The Vegas Strip looked great on TV, and the local performers seemed to make a good impression on all.

Hotel room rates were high when most people were booking rooms in Las Vegas for the draft. This week I was reminded that there are almost always last-minute hotel deals for major events in Las Vegas. 

Vegas – Events – Last Minute Deals

The free cancelation period for most hotels ends 48 to 72 hours before the reservation. Many people wait until the last minute before canceling their hotel rooms if they can’t make a big event.

Just before the NFL Draft, hotel room rates returned to normal for this time of year. Some casinos even sent out comp room offers for some guests that couldn’t get a free room earlier.

I’m not saying to wait until the last minute to book Las Vegas hotels. I wouldn’t do that myself. However, if you’re with a group, it may make sense to have someone else check last-minute hotel deals. 

If you normally have comp rooms, you might even want to check with a hotel to see if there are any available. Casino hotel operators like Caesars Rewards Loyalty Program may match the lower price.

This also gives a chance to cancel and rebook. As I said, this isn’t something I would do but it’s an option for bargain hunters that don’t need solid plans for months before visiting Las Vegas.

Palms Las Vegas Is Open!

Palms reopened this week. I was lucky enough to enjoy the pre-opening party. Scroll down my twitter media page to see some pics from the night the Palms Las Vegas opened.

Unknown bar @Palms looks the same. Bands will be normal. Blue drink and special guests may not. pic.twitter.com/ngsRJLeUsD

— Marc (@MeltzVegas) April 28, 2022

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The opening event was fantastic. I arrived in time for the “Taste of Palms” and ribbon cutting of the remodeled sportsbook. The food and booze samples were mostly good.

I found a local bourbon that was the surprise of the night. The food highlight was an egg roll from Tim Ho Wan and an empanada from Greene St.

Walking into Palms felt familiar. The casino floor is almost exactly the same as it was when Palms closed in 2020. I think the new owners even kept the same scent that Palms used prior to closing.

Palms Opens – Sportsbook

The sportsbook has the TV screen setup, but the red desk seating is gone and replaced with tables, and chairs like other William Hill sportsbooks have.

The new @WilliamHillNV sportsbook @palms. Same screen setup. This has some temporary seating but will sit more than 100 when regular seats are installed. The vibe will remain the same with the stage for bands. Will have more at PlayNevada dot com later. pic.twitter.com/s7FlsU95PK

— Marc (@MeltzVegas) April 28, 2022

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Another Change In The Sportsbook – Palms Opens

Another change in the sportsbook is that there’s a stage for bands. This occupies the space that was used for VIP seating between the sportsbook desk area and bar. There will be dueling pianos on this stage during weeknights and full bands on weekends.

One of the big additions to Palms is the free entertainment. There will be musicians performing at Scotch 80 Prime and Mabel’s. There will be DJs at Unknown (Shark) Bar, the pool and a new “party pit” near Tim Ho Wan and the entrance from the garage.

I think people will love all the free entertainment at Palms. I wrote about some of the changes at Palms here. 

One of the things I wanted to check on was the cost of drinks. One of the turnoffs about Palms to me before it closed was the Vegas Strip prices without the location.

I’m happy to see that prices for drinks at Palms are a bit cheaper than when Station operated the casino. For example, an Old Fashioned will run from $8 or $9 to $12 or $14 depending on the bourbon. 

The party was fun but I look forward to spending time at Palms without the party going on. That will happen shortly. 

The Gaming Looks Promising – Palms Opens

An early look at video poker from vpFree looks solid. There’s also ample 3:2 blackkack. The gaming looks promising. The fact that the Palms Opens and gaming conditions were mostly positive is something to watch in the coming month.

Palms Opens – Tier Matching

Last but not least, Palms players club is matching tiers with other properties in Las Vegas. This isn’t on the website. I was able to upgrade to Amber with my Cosmopolitan Gold card. This is the tier I wanted since it’s the first level that comps resort fees. 

Let’s get to the rest of the Vegas News this week.

Las Vegas Quick Hits

• The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority released its monthly Executive Summary this week. The March report is interesting. Hotel occupancy was down 10.9% from 2019. However, the average daily room rate was up 21.8%. The two data points used to increase and descrease at similar rates. You can see the full report here.
• Nevada saw its second-highest month of revenue from gambling. The Vegas Strip was up bigly. Read more here.
• Boyd Gaming reported earnings this week. As expected, Las Vegas financials broke records. You can see the press release here.
• There was one thing stood out above and beyond everything else during the earnings call to me. I shared an Axios article about prices remaining high last week. 
• I shared this article because I see the same thing in casinos. Boyd Gaming confirmed this. During the call, they mentioned that elevated margins are now part of the business. While prices may drop a little, they don’t see prices returning to 2019 levels.
• MGM Resorts and Caesars report earnings next week. I think we’ll hear more of the same from most casino operators. 
• The owner of Golden Nugget is seeing similar prices in his restaurant business. See more here.
• Boyd also confirmed that they are replacing the buffet at the Fremont (thanks Wayne) with a six-stall food hall with some national brands we’ll recognize. The casino expansion and food hall should be done before the end of the year or early next year.
• The Las Vegas Review-Journal confirmed that the owner of the Golden Nugget is purchasing land on the Vegas Strip. Vital Vegas had the info first. Read his article here.
• If there’s an Adele residency it may be at PLANET HOLLYWOOD Las Vegas Resort instead of Caesars Palace Las Vegas. It could start before the year is over. Read more here.

• Are you stoked for BUFFALOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO on the canopy of the Fremont Street Experience? Read more here.
• VICI’s deal to buy MGM Growth Properties is done. You can read about the real estate deal here.
• Siegfried and Roy’s estate and belongings will be up for auction next month. Read more here.
• Wynn Las Vegas won some awards. Read more here.
• MGM Resorts also won some of those same rewards. Read more here. 
• Circus Circus and Choice Hotels might be the perfect partnership. Read more here.
• There’s a new Caesars Rewards Loyalty Program credit card. Read more here.  
• Apollo is reporting earnings for the first time since taking over operations at The Venetian. I’m looking forward to this. Read more here. ​​
• Uh oh. Flamingo Las Vegas flamingos are in hiding! Read more here.
• May 4-10 is Live Nation’s Concert Week with $25 show tickets. This isn’t for all shows. There are usually 10-15 Las Vegas shows available. Read more here.
• You can rent a Tesla at Resorts World. Read more here.
• The B-52’s are doing a few shows at The Venetian. I wonder if Fred Shneider remembers standing next to me in line for a buffet so many years ago. Anyway, read more here.
• Last but not least, I saw a press release for a new website to find places to get beer in any US city. You can find the link to Las Vegas here.

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